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There's always something I've never dealt with...

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Hi guys,

Quite recently, I have been looking around at, and applying for jobs on various websites, through agencies and direct with employers themselves.

The thing is, where I work for a small company and am applying for roles in bigger companies, there are an awful lot of technologies that I haven't been in contact with. This becomes particularly apparent when coming to apply and I'm not sure what to do about them.

Lets say for example, I'm applying for a job spec below:

Windows 2008, Exchange 2007, VMWare, Sharepoint etc; as well as a track record trouble-shooting & problem-solving infrastructure issues.
Any exposure to Exchange 2010, SQL Server, SAN &/or MS CRM software would be an advantage as would any technical certifications eg MCSE, MCTS/MCITP, VCP etc.

Click to expand...

So I'd go through and tick/cross what I can or can't do. In this example, I can't really say Sharepoint is a weakness..I have absolutely no experience...I haven't even brushed past it in my learning. so how do I go about it? What I'd normally say in the covering letter is that I have no experience in Sharepoint, however I'm willing to learn. I'd rather be honest from the offset that either lie, or hope it gets ignored until I start the job and have to ask.

How would you go about a weakness like the above? In some examples, I'd have 80% of the skills they're after, but not a few "essentials" so I won't even bother applying for the position, in fear of wasting my time, and theirs.

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In my opinion apply for all the jobs you think you're suitable for. Leave it down to employer to decide how important to them are skills you don't have. You can have something else that is desirable and as everything else skills you're missing can be learnt.
You won't get it if you won't apply, that's for sure. On the other hand if hiring person decides to invite you for the interview anyway, it's a best time to tell him you've always wanted to work with such and such technology and it's one of the reasons you've applied for this position.

I am starting new job on Monday; Job advert had Exchange listed as essential requirement and sharepoint as desirable. I have close to no experience in Exchange and absolutely no experience in sharepoint. I did have however virtualisation skills and few other things which weren't listed. It turned out that they are looking to virtualise servers in near future, and I said during the interview that Sharepoint and Exchange are something I want to work with and that was one of the reasons I've applied.

Tell him you've always wanted to work with such and such technology and it's one of the reasons you've applied for this position.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply That attitude is never one I've really thought of. "Willing to learn" is a cliche that I can imagine employers take with a pinch of salt (no matter how much you actually mean it!) whereas turning it on its head as a reason for applying is super enthusiastic!

Thanks again for the reply, a real confidence booster

Just to confirm - mention that you have limited experience on the application, and then say it's a reason for applying in the interview? Or would you say put that the lack of experience is a reason for applying right from the off?

As we've said before, employers usually combine an extravagent 'wish list' with a salary that isn't going to tempt someone with all the skills they're asking for.

They know they're not going to get away with it, but it's a way of cutting down the deluge of applications.

Be honest about what you're lacking, and in your cover letter you could refer to another time when you were exposed to a new technology in work and how quickly you picked it up. Compare it to your certifications, say that you've spent the last x years studying new technologies and are therefore in a strong position to take on whatever they throw at you.

You can also highlight any relevant skills that you think you've got that they aren't asking for, but may be of benefit. Maybe you've worked in telesales before - not strictly relevant to the helpdesk role you're looking at but you can mention telephone skills, customer service etc etc.

Like the man said, apply for whatever you fancy and let them decide if they want to give you a chance. If they like you despite you not having quite what they're looking for, then that's their call.

As long as you're CV doesn't say you can do it then it's up to the employer \ Agency to decide whether to bring you in.

A lot of times these requirements are way over the top, especially for the rate\salary they want to pay.

For instance with that job spec I would expect that to be going at £50k or £40ph\£400pd, expecting someone to have all that exposure to that technology means they want someone with a lot of experience, with that experience comes cost.

Let me put it another way, if I saw it advertised at anything below those rates I wouldn't be applying for it because they were severly over estimating either the position or their expectations for the money they were offering.

One of the things I learnt years ago, if your cv says you can do something you best be able to do it.

I find its best to mention what you don't have in your covering letter i.e. although I lack exchange knowledge, I compfortably match the remaining criteria. I hope you will consider my application . . . . etc

As said above and as I always recommend, just be honest, that way you won't worry, and will maximise your chances of feeling confident in an interview.

For the record, there's always going to be something you've never dealt with, its impossible to know it all at a high level, believe me, I run a team of Jack of all trade types

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